Would you avoid a role because of GlassDoor reviews?

ChocolateStarfishRammer · 16 Nov 2016 at 17:37

I've seen a role advertised which all sounds perfect. But just before I was about to go through the long application process, I thought I'd check GlassDoor to see what it said. Only 2 people have commented on them, and both are rather negative.. 1 and I quote "do not work for this company".

That has made me think twice about it. So my question to you is, in the same boat, would you take this and run, or ignore and go for it anyway?

Macky · 16 Nov 2016 at 19:11

I don't think I'd let 2 reviews worry me. People who have had a positive experience will just tend to not write a review at all. Go for it I say.

AHarvey · 16 Nov 2016 at 19:57

Yeah I think you need to have a few more than 2 reviews to make a judgement, that also depends on the company size.

For instance, I worked for a company called Gamesys, they are on Glassdoor. They've had 104 reviews with an average rating of 3.4 which I would say was spot on.

Some of the comments on there are OTT, completely out there, both positive and negative but overall you start to see a trend. Low pay for the dev jobs, boys club at the top and it really is a case of "if your face fits" as regardless of how incompetent you are that's all that matters.

I was there 7 years, it is spot on. But if you just cherry picked a couple you really don't know what the company would look like.

Bunka · 17 Nov 2016 at 13:42

Apply and if you get an interview, check the place out and make your mind up for yourself.

Rids · 17 Nov 2016 at 13:54

When I moved to my current role I also had an interview a huge multinational that bases its accounting function in Brighton. Both places seemed like somewhere I could work, prospects would probably have been better in the Brighton role, however after what I read on Glass Door I decided that it simply wasn't for me. There were multiple feedbacks left from people in the accounting function highlighting what a nightmare it was.

I've been disgruntled in jobs before and left, I've never felt strongly enough about it to leave a negative review of my employer. In my opinion if you've managed to push multiple people to the point they want to warn anybody off of joining then its either a rather unpleasant place to work, or you have a history of hiring the wrong people, neither of which gives me any reassurance that it is the sort of place I'd want to work.

Would I think the same if it was only two reviews? I don't know, it depends what my gut instinct was telling me and how I felt about other opportunities that were available to me.

MissChief · 17 Nov 2016 at 14:04

Two reviews are likely just disgruntled ex employees who likely were sacked for their own mistakes.

ChocolateStarfishRammer · 17 Nov 2016 at 14:59

Good points made all round.

Nothing to lose by applying I suppose!

Besides last time I tried to quit my current job I got a 28% pay rise instead to stay.. so never know same might happen again.

peterwalkley · 17 Nov 2016 at 18:20

I did when approached by a fintech consultancy a few year back. There were some really scathing reviews and I wasn't interested in moving unless it was something special. More and more bad reviews kept being added. Very confident I dodged a bullet there.

AHarvey · 17 Nov 2016 at 21:42

ChocolateStarfishRammer said:
Good points made all round.

Nothing to lose by applying I suppose!

Besides last time I tried to quit my current job I got a 28% pay rise instead to stay.. so never know same might happen again.

Lucky you, I'm applying for similar role jobs at 50% above what I'm on now but can't see this place matching that because they are cheap and I'm being paid pennies

Energize · 17 Nov 2016 at 23:07

I do avoid employers based on glassdoor reviews, but you have to consider the reviews in the context of the entire situation.

Schlong&Stable · 18 Nov 2016 at 00:46

MissChief said:
Two reviews are likely just disgruntled ex employees who likely were sacked for their own mistakes.

I wouldn't assume they were sacked, but you're right to say people who have a grudge or bad experience are more likely to write about it. So yeah, take it with a big pinch of salt.

dowie · 18 Nov 2016 at 01:42

Yes I would potentially avoid a role as a result of glass door reviews.

Obviously the issue you've got is there isn't really enough information there - those two reviews would have to be well written and detailed for me to take them seriously.

You've got to try and build up a picture of the place from a large number of reviews and find out why the upset people are upset. In some cases they might be a bad fit - is the work place quite demanding/stressful etc..? Maybe you'd thrive in that sort of environment or maybe the negative reviews are a useful warning to you.

I think based on two reviews alone I'd still go to the interviews but I'd make sure to ask some questions relating to areas of concerns the reviews might have highlighted.

Stretch · 18 Nov 2016 at 10:03

If you decide not to take up the offer or even apply, do let them know why, if only discreetly.

Quite often the negativity can be the result of a single employee (typically senior/middle manager), and HR are already aware of issues. If they know it's hurting their recruitment process, they might just be prepared to do everyone else in the company a favour, and tell them to find another job.

Energize · 18 Nov 2016 at 15:34

Stretch said:
If you decide not to take up the offer or even apply, do let them know why, if only discreetly.

Quite often the negativity can be the result of a single employee (typically senior/middle manager), and HR are already aware of issues. If they know it's hurting their recruitment process, they might just be prepared to do everyone else in the company a favour, and tell them to find another job.

This. Letting companies know that glassdoor reviews are hurting their business will cause them to make positive changes.

Housey · 19 Nov 2016 at 00:55

I think with such a small amount of reviews you could be dealing with a non representative number, but Glassdoor is becoming more and more important for companies seeking to make investments in other businesses, who are using this as part of the statistics they consider. My advice is go and look for reviews of companies you have worked for and see if you feel they are representative. In my experience they are usually bang on as a whole...

Caged · 19 Nov 2016 at 12:37

I have avoided a role because of Glassdoor reviews - but that wasn't the only factor in my decision.

The job information that the recruiter sent over talked up how the organisation had a flat management structure except for the directors, seemed to focus too much on the snacks and pool tables in the office, and made a lot of references to needing a candidate who was 'robust' and could deal with stressful situations, as well as mentioning high staff turnover.

The company had nine Glassdoor reviews from mid-2015 up to a few weeks back, they were more or less all speaking negatively of how the directors ran the place like a dictatorship, had a proper shout at staff in the middle of the office, and weren't nice to work around. I called off the interview and when pressed on the reasoning why I told them the above - recognising that your directors are megalomaniacs with anger issues doesn't mean you just warn people about it and call it done.